Hat block construction



Jan. 30, 1934. E, GQUGH HAT BLOCK CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 11, 1930 INVENTOR I fiflRm li' GOUCjH 1.1 f ORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1934 uru'ren sra'rss PATENT @FFEQE Serial No.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to hat blocks and in particular to a hat block construction which saves material and labor and facilitates the shaping or blocking of hats during manufacture.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a hat block made in two separate sections, a crown tip portion and a crown wall piece. Heretofore in the construction of hat blocks, it h been usual to take a solid piece or block and bore into the same endwise to provide finger holes through the medium of which the block was supported by the hand of the operator when shaping or working on a hat model positioned on the block. This boring endwise of the grain consumed considerable time, wasted material and did not provide a good holding means. Due to the length of tool required no deep accurate boring has heretofore been accomplished, so that the block consequently, was not hollowed out to any appreciable degree to provide the desired lightness and balance.

In order to overcome these objections and to provide a hat block which is strong and durable which may be made with a wall as thin as possible, may be well balanced so that the operator or milliner does not tire in the holding and revolving of the block when fitting a hat thereover, I have employed a crown tip portion which. is shaped interiorly to provide a handle and to this crown portion I secure by gluing or otherwise a hollowed crown wall piece which completes the hat block and is formed in such a manner that the wall is of a minimum thickness and the grain of the wood in the wall piece is endwise, so that the bottom of the hat block will not wear quickly on the edge of a work bench. The grain or the crown portion is preferably in a lateral direction relatively to the wall piece to afford an easier formation of the handle therein. lhe assembled crown and wall parts are then shaped to the desired contour.

With these and other objects in View, my invention comprises the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts hereinafter described, and then particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a hat block constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation partly in section of the hat block illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of another form of hat block construction.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation partly in section of the hat block illustrated in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of a section of pre-iormed material from which the crown wall piece of the hat block is constructed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 5, indicates a crown tip portion which has been shaped exteriorly as at 6 sothat the crown of a hat may be shaped, blocked or fitted thereover. The hat block construction is preferably of wood and the crown tip portion 5 is hollowed out interiorly as at 7 and as deep as possible to provide as thin a wall 8 as is consistent with the strength desired in the hat block construction. In boring out the crown tip portion as at 7, a central elongated concentric handle 9 is left which is centrally bored as at 1G to receive the plug dowel of a jack plug upon which the hat block is mounted for revolving and tilting movement in factories and the like where hats are formed and blocked while on the hat block, it being understood that the hat is worked on the block and goes through the different operations of steaming, pressing and so forth without being taken off the block, the block being mounted on a suitable revolving member which is also tiltable and which is known generally in the trade as a jack. A jack plug, as indicated in outline in Figure 3, and designated by the numeral 11 is a new feature of mine and is arranged to allow the deep handle to be supported securely on the jack, (not shown).

Heretofore in the construction of hats, this handle or extension 9 was not cut in the block deeply with the result that the block was topheavy and the operator in holding the block was compelled to twist and move the hat block in shaping the hat and ornamenting the same, and due to its top-heavy nature and the unbalanced position of the handle relatively to the hat block, this was exhausting to the operator.

With my improved hat block handle 9, the block itself may be balanced and due to the deep cut handle is of relatively hollow construction and is light and easily twirled. without exhausting effort. The lower or crown wall piece 12 of the hat block which has heretofore in the construction of hat blocks, been formed integral with the crown tip portion, is made in a separate piece which is jig sawed out internally as at 14 to provide a relatively thin Wall after which the crown wall piece 12 is secured, as by gluing to the crown tip portion 5. To assist in the attachment of the two parts together, use may be made of the reinforce dowels 15.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a relatively long piece of material may be jig sawed out longitudinally and may then be cut in sections to be fitted to the crown tip portions of hat blocks.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the construction of the crown tip portion is identical to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 but the crown wall piece is constructed in a different manner. The crown wall piece in this instance is denoted by the numeral 16 and is made from a plurality of strips of material 17 which before being assembled are grooved longitudinally as at 18 and provided with the flattened portion 19 so that when assembled, the corners 20 are provided for the reception of a jack plug 11, before referred to. As a first step in the forming of these crown wall pieces 16, the strips of wood 17 are troughed longitudinally as at 18 and then glued together. When this has been accomplished, a tubular member of the type illustrated in Figure 5 has then been formed and this tubular member may then be cut up in lengths 22 to provide the crown wall pieces, it being understood that they may be cut in any suitable length desired, depending upon the height of the hat block.

In this latter construction, also, the wood may be preferably placed so that the grain is endwise with the result that the lower edge of the hat block does not wear quickly on the edge of the work bench as operators usually rest the bottom edge of the hat block on the edge of the work bench when working on the hat that is positioned on the hat block. In this connection, illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the same advantages accrue by having a deep formed handle 9 and while the handle in each instance, that is, in the corn structions illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, have been extended to a plane substantially in the meeting line of the crown tip portion and crown wall piece, it is to be understood that the handle may be shorter but is so turned and shaped and positioned that the proper balance is obtained andtl ie worker in using the hat block over one hand can conveniently twirl the same without exhaustive eiiort. The handle is turned solely in the crown tip portion and the assembled crown tip and wall piece are turned, chipped or otherwise cut to a contour that will conform to the shape of the hat to be blocked.

It is evident, therefore, that in a construction of the character referred to, the hat block is made with walls as thin as possible, which reduces its weight and the particular construction saves labor and time and materially reduces the cost of the hat block.

It is evident, too, that the crown tip portion may be shaped in any manner desired and does not necessarily have to be the same diameter as the crown wall piece. In the construction shown in Figures 3 and 4, the groove 18 would depend for shape upon the shape of the outside of the crown wall piece and would be of a depth in any instance toobtain as thin a wall as is practical. In this latter construction, it is noted that no boring is necessary as the strips 17 would be procured from the mill, would be glued together, turned down on the outside and sawed off in lengths suitable for assembly with the crown tip portions which could be conveniently hollowed out much quicker before the crown wall pieces were applied. My invention is not to be restricted to the precise details of construction shown since various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing the advantages derived from its use.

What I claim is:- l. A hat block comprising a crown tip portion, a handle formed in said portion, and a preformed tubular section constituting a crown wall portion secured to said tip portion and consisting of arcuate strips, each strip extending for a portion only of the circumference of the block, said strips fixedly united in integral tubular form and arranged to provide interior corner grooves for the reception of a turning member.

2. A hat block comprising a crown tip portion,

a handle formed in said portion, and a preformed tubular section constituting a crown wall portion secured to said tip portion and consisting of arcuate strips, each strip extending for a portion only of the circumference of the block, said strips fixedly united in integral tubular form.

3. A hat block comprising a crown tip portion, and a preformed tubular section constituting a crown wall portion secured to said tip portion and consisting of arcuate strips, each strip extending for a portion only of the circumference of the block, said strips being fixedly united in integral tubular form. 

